Chapter 30: Chapter 23

Like the other buildings in the capital, the courthouse was majestic. The place was built to hold more than five hundred people, but at that moment, a restricted event was taking place. 

In the role of judge was the one considered the most just among humans, the leader of the church of Goddess Annie, Saint Avios Bishop. On the sides, local nobles. On the left, the few who defended Sophia's innocence. On the right, the many who wanted to sentence her.

Above them all, the royal family, consisting of the king and the princess regent - both accompanied by guards and people they trusted. The accused - Sophia - was handcuffed in the center, facing the saint Bishop.

- Marquise Sophia Sophiette Sophys III, you are accused of kidnapping and attempted murder. What do you have to say about the accusation?

The deep voice echoed easily throughout the courtroom. The Saint, dressed in a white robe, stood, staring at the accused.

- One of his employees almost killed Princess Elisabella's personal coachman, left him tied up in the forest, kidnapped the princess, and was on his way to her mansion when he was stopped by the guards of the capital.

- I told you... I didn't order anyone to kidnap the princess.

- Princess, could you tell us from your own mouth?

The girl with blond hair tied up in a ponytail rose from her chair. None of those present at the trial could speak without the permission of the saint, even if it was the king or the princess. In that world, the office of the god's servant was above that of any nobleman. The saint had in his hands the power to condemn even the king, if so permitted by the deity.

- I left the school as I normally did, but I didn't notice that there was something different about the coachman. He took me to the forest and made me sleep with some kind of magic. Before I went out, I saw this.

- Ohhhh! - everyone shouted in unison.

The object the princess showed to the saint was the Sophiette house crest. Only trusted employees had the right to bear the coat of arms of their mistress's house. Noah, who was on the left, also had that coat of arms, that was what gave him the right to attend Sophia's trial.

- Impossible! Only three of my employees have that coat of arms!

Noah, whom she considered as a daughter, Maria, her first maid and...

- Come in.

At the Saint Bishop announcement, the door behind Sophia opened and a young man entered the room.

- Don't tell me that... Raul... What...

- Hello, mistress! - he shouted in debauchery.

Raul. That was the name of Sophiette's housekeeper, who was also Ruthy's brother. The boy had been rescued by Sophia from the hands of a nobleman who kept him as a slave and tortured him daily. It was because of this young boy - at the time a child - that Sophia gained her reputation as a perverted kidnapper of little boys.

Why did the young man who considered Noah his younger sister - even though she was older - try to harm Sophia, who saved him from the suffering of being enslaved? Was he paid for this?

- Tell us, my dear, what exactly were the orders of your mistress, the Marquise Sophia.

The young man knelt down and bowed his head in reverence to the saint, then began his speech:

- A few days before the attack on Lord Edward's village, Miss Sophiette was already planning the kidnapping. During the incident in the village, when the security of the capital was reduced due to the large number of soldiers who went to the marquis' lands, I was told to act. 

- First, I waited until the coachman let his guard down, poisoned him with an arrow and tied him up in the forest... I stole his clothes, went to the college and kidnapped the princess. The plan was to hold Princess Elisabella in the basement of the mansion until Miss Sophiette returned.

- Raul... Why?

- WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS! - A voice interrupted Sophia's speech.

The shout came from the girl in maid's clothing on the left side of the court.

- Why, Raul? Lady Sophia didn't tell you to do anything! Why are you lying!

- SILENCE!

What made the maid shut up was not Saint Bishop, but the nobles beside her. The girl struggled to get loose, but the tall, red-haired man was clearly stronger.

- Idiot, you'll end up being executed for irreverence!

- I don't care! 

- NOAH! - The mistress's voice made the maid stop resisting. - Be quiet! Remember, this is a sacred trial!

Despite Sophia's aggressive tone and Noah's angry expression, deep inside, both were fighting the tears that could burst out at any moment.

Everything Sophia did was to protect the girl, whom she considered as a daughter. The maid understood this, which is why she felt so powerless at that moment. Even in that situation, she was still being helped, and she couldn't help herself. Could she never repay Sophia?

If she continued, Noah would be convicted of disrespecting the saint, that would only complicate the marquise's situation more and more.

- ...Moving on. We had here the testimony of one of the marquise Sophia's trusted servants, the testimony of the princess, and proof of what the servants of the Sophiette household are like. - Santo pointed out all the evidence incriminating Sophia.

What could he do to defend himself? She was away from the mansion for the last few days. Raul's statement was the final move. Sophia's fate was already sealed.

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- One moment, Saint Bishop. - The voice of a nobleman made the flame of hope ignite again... But it was soon extinguished when he saw that it was one of the nobles on the right.

- You may speak, Marquis Guller.

Guller, the disgusting man who slandered Sophia so much, what did this pig still have to say?

- Me, Marquis Edward and some nobles have been doing some investigations lately and we found out something... And this may be related to Sophia's plan to kidnap the princess.

- Hmm... Go on...

- We have come to the conclusion that the Marquise Sophia is connected to the "Crows".

The last sentence drew everyone's attention - if there was anyone left who wasn't paying attention - to Guller.

- Marquis Guller, are you aware that this is a serious accusation? Can you prove it?

- Yes, young Raul can help us again. Show him, young man.

What Raul pulled out of his pocket was an old piece of paper, and from the distance, only Sophia and the Saint could see the content.

- This is a map with the house location of all the nobles who do not support the Marquise Sophia. See the ones with the red X? These nobles have been killed recently without a specific cause. - Guller added an evil smile at the end of his explanation.

Definitely, Sophia was doomed.

The organization called "Crows" was composed of nobles with the objective of taking the kingdom for themselves. Until that moment, none of the members had been captured alive - they all killed themselves when they were captured.

- I see... Seeing the evidence presented here, I have my verdict.

- Wait!

If it were confirmed that Sophia really belonged to the "Crows", all the nobles who were on her side would also be accused. What would happen to the kingdom if these good people were killed. If their fate was already sealed, then Sophia would save her companions... claiming that she acted alone. Only then would they be free from investigation. She should condemn herself to save her companions. For the good of the kingdom.

- What's the problem, Marquise Sophia? Know that it will be easier to obtain divine forgiveness if you admit your sins.

- I-I-I-I-I-I...

"Please, no!" Noah could no longer contain his emotions. It no longer mattered if she would be executed. The maid wanted to save her mistress, just as she was saved as a child.

Would a blast spell be enough to create a distraction? She was not very good at magic, but she would try her best...

- Explo- 

- Stop the judgment!

The door, which was not to be opened until the end of the trial, opened violently. The voice echoed through the courtroom, drawing everyone's attention.

- Who is this that interrupts a sacred trial? 

- This trial is being manipulated!

- Who do you think you are? On what do you base your criticism of the authenticity of a trial of the Saint who serves the Great Goddess Annie? Guards! Execute this man!

The sound of gunfire coming from an unknown weapon made the guards retreat in fear.

- My name is Kurone Nakano... and I am the Saint who serves... the great goddess Cecily!

The young man dressed in a gray robe was surrounded by priestesses of the sect of the goddess Cecily. Beside him was Inri, the head priestess of the church. I didn't know exactly if it was the name "Cecily" or the name itself that startled those present, but it didn't matter at that moment. "I needed to be brief".

- Saint Bishop, this man declares himself a saint, I demand that-

The outraged nobleman on the right was silenced in moments. Something pierced his skull, taking the man's life in moments. The sound of 5.56×45 millimeter shells fell to the ground, startling all the others who wanted to protest.

- Behold the divine punishment!

The left eye, normally covered by the fringe of the young man with the rifle, glowed brightly in a bright yellow. The one standing there, driven by the willpower of wanting to save his sister and serious psychological problems, was a Kurone who didn't mind shooting anyone who got in his way. The courtroom windows burst open with several bursts.

- Guards, kill this here-

The king's orders were interrupted by a "bam" coming from Kurone's gun. The shot passed close by but didn't hit him - it wasn't aimed at them anyway. The shot from the gun hit the girl next to the man.

- Eli...

- H-He killed the princess!!!

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